Improvement in fens for ruling-macfilnes



*dhiirll tant @HUM @W03 `Y 'WILLIAM o. HIcKoK, "or HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 107,046, dated September 6, 1870.

l :IMPROVEMENT IN PENS FOR RULING-MACHINES.

The Schedule efer'red tovin these Letters Patent and making part ofthe name` I, WILLIAM O.v Hroxoigof Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin andSt-ate ol' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful' Improvement'iu Pens 'for Paper-ruling Machines, of which thelbllowing is a specification.

Nat-ure and Objects of the Invention. My invention relates' to the construction of the pens in groups, in s uch a manner that all the pens in each group shall be parallel with each other, and, at

the same time, in whatever closer arrangement, side General Description. flhe old method of producing the groups of pens for'paper-ruling machines, it is well known, consists iu transversely slitting about two-thirds of the width Aot' a, strip of thin sheet metal into narrow divisions,

and foldingr the two side edges ot' each division together', as represented in liv. l; consequently, the distance between the parallel sides of any two of said pens cannot be less than the width of the particular division of which each pen is formed, and this distance not being small enough for closer ruling, eitheran upper and a lower set of pens have to lhe arranged, so that the points of the pens of the upper will rule lines between those ruled by the lower set; or, several, more or less, of the pens bent so as to bring their points near er together, as represented at a, h'g. 1.

The objections to the.iirst-named arrangement are, that it requires the adjustment of two distinct sets ot' p ens, andthe keeping of both sets supplied with lthe ink, and, moreover, that it is not capable ot' ruling lines with lessv spacesbctween them that will equal half the spaces betweenthe lines ruled bythe pens of the' lower set; and the objection to the second arrangement, sec tig. 1, is that the oblique pens, in cousequence et' therobliquity, cannot be caused to produce lines of equal width and uniformity with the lines produced by the central or direct pen.

In orderto overcome all these diliculties, and produce groups of single pensthat will rule clean, uniform lines, with the'narrowcst spaces that can be required between thcm, I make each pen, b b, separate from the usual head part of the plate a', and then4 solder their upper ends fast to the requisite plate b', and to. .each other, side by side, and parallel, at the requisite distance apart, to rulel theclose lines desired, substantially as represented in figs. 2, 3, 4, and'5. A

- It will be seen that, by constructing pens for paper-ruling machines in themanner described, the

closest lines can'be ruled thereby with as much facility', accuracy, and uniformity, as the furthest separat-ed lines are ruled by the old style of groups of pens.A

I am aware that a group Aof `pens, consisting of a series "of tive pen-pointed channels, .produced by crimping a single piece ot' thin sheet metal in such a manf ner as to afford tive channels parallel with each other,

lconnected along their sides, and pressed close enough together to afford a group of pens for -tlie purpose of marking, simultaneously, on paper, the usual hve close lines required for writing music upon, and then the upper end ofsaid group inserted and secured in a' suitable wooden head, which serves as a handle in using the pen in ruling by hand; but such groups of 'pens cannot be practically applied to the' ruling-machines in use, for several reasons, among which 'may be mentioned the fact that, as the group is iu a single piece ot' sheet metal, there cannot be that independent elasticity in the several pens or channels which is absolutely necessary to mark an unbroken line by any one ot' said group when it passes over a slight depression inthe paper, nor will any one of said groups allow the other pens of the group to remain in marking contact with the paperv when it (the pen) passes over a slightly' elevated spot in the same paper. y

Therefore, I do not desirev torlaim, broadly, a group of ruling-machine pens, arranged and secured closely together, parallel with each other, upon a handle or distinct head-plate; ,but I cla-ini as myy invcntion A series or group of paper-roling-machine pens, having each pen of the group made separate and distinct from the others, and from the usual head-plate, and then their upper ends secured, by soldering or otherwise, to the head-plate, so as to atford a group of independently -elastic pens, parallel toi each other, and as near together as the close line ruling desired mayrequire, substantially as described and set forth herein.

\Vitnesses:A W. O. HIGKOK.

E. H. HrcKoK, S. ScHRivER. 

